The Court of Appeal ruled today that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt did not have the power to implement cuts at Lewisham Hospital in south east London.
Three judges announced their decision on the second day of a hearing in London.
Supporters of the highly-regarded hospital cheered when Lord Dyson, the Master of the Rolls, sitting with Lord Justice Sullivan and Lord Justice Underhill, gave their decision in an appeal brought by the Government over a High Court judge's ruling in July.
Good.

If Hunt doesn't have the power, who does? Could the new trust implement those changes, if economically they feel the A&E and Maternity units should be downgraded? Also how does the Ambulance service decide to which A&E a patient should be transported, if their preference is Woolwich or Kings College won't that impact on Lewisham?

Yes, and Caligula had the power to make his horse a Senator. Hunt doesn't have the same power yet but he wants it.The problem is that his department has not been able to devise a satisfactory alternative, they're lacking, and more power won't make them better administrators.(I suppose that an ambulance would bring people where it's good for them, not where it's good for an A&E department)

The clinical case to close Lewisham's A&E was never strong enough. The campaign was able to marshall clinical authority as well as passion because of that and that's why it was successful. This was essentially a financial decision, aka austerity cuts.

Which we the local People's Assembly Against Austerity campaign against in whatever forms they take. Next Tuesday - the 5 November we as part of national action, are having a day a protest, starting at the Foodbank in Depftford at 10.00am and culminating in a Bonfire at the 'grassy knoll' opp Lewisham DLR at 6.00pm. Jeremy Hunt (the effigy) will be guest of honour!

Do join us, Itv news will be there - presumably because this area is such a hotbed of political action!

Will PAAA be funding the clean up and returfing, or just leave the charade remains for the people of Lewisham to put up with? We are supposed to be grateful?Having looked at the grassy knoll, all I can say is the PAAA are stupid idiots. It is a small area adjacent to a main road & railway line, Worse it is directly in the path of pedestrians exiting the DLR and rail station at the height of the rush hour. Maybe the PAAA are out to drum up business for Lewisham's A&E. If the PAA are truly against cuts don't burden the local council with more work.

So you campaign against all cuts despite the fact that the country has to borrow to fund day to day spending and there's plenty of evidence of waste of taxpayers' money! A lesson in basic economics wouldn't go amiss here.

But you don't pay sufficient taxes to fund a clean up, you'll burden ALL households in Lewisham with the cost, how very gracious of the PAA. Who elected YOU to decide how the council tax is spent? Why not apply to your local assembly to fund your protest & clean up? So the PAA demands the residents of deprived Lewisham pay to clear up their mess, which sounds very similar to the attitude of Jeremy Hunt, at least he has a defence of being elected.

On Dec 7 at Goldsmiths College, the South London Assembly will be held. It'll be an event with speakers, national and local campaigners against austerity. Find out then how much we know about economics!

Yet again you expect the public to pay for YOUR political campaigning. When is the PAA going to stand on its own two feet rather than expect everyone to earn an income and hand over their money through taxes to subsidise the PAA?

Yes, let celebrate. BUT. What the local Trust, the council and MPs have not told you is that Lewisham & Woolwich have merged. So we are saddled with the PFI debt which sunk Woolwich, which was down to the last Labour Govt forcing the scheme. Hunt, will pay part of that (yes you did not thank him for that). But the wider spread restructuring - and not just at Lewisham - was to close the financial gap. Now, it is down to the local Trust to finance the PFI. So guess what folks all those cuts will be back on the table in a few years time. And this time it will ALL fall on Lewisham/Woolwich to find, and they will have less scope than Hunt in doing so. And do not think a Labour Govt will save you. Andy Burnham has already told his MPs there will not be any bailouts without reform (i.e. restructuring).